Gate.



No. 887,971. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

I A. J. SHROPE.

GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 27,1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

ALBERT J. SHROPE, OF MEOHANIOSVILLE, IOWA.

GATE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. SHROPE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mechanicsville, in the county of Cedar and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to gates adapted to be opened and closed withoutgetting out of the vehicle passing through the gate-way; and has for itsobject to produce a simple and inexpensive gate capable of easyoperation and adjustment to different heights.

The nature of the invention will clearly ap pear from the descriptionand claims follow ing, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gate embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating themechanism for tripping the latch, and other connected parts.

In the drawing 1 designates the latch post for the gate when closed,provided with a suitable latch hook 2. At right angles to this post isanother post 3 provided with a similar latch 4 and adapted to hold thegate when opened. The hinge post 5 is provided with a series of blocks 6taking a vertical rod 7 which passes through the ends of thelongitudinal bars 8, forming a part of the gate. All but the lower barare slotted at 9 and 10 respectively so as to allow for a slight tilt ofthe gate in its operation, as will be described presently. Connectingthese longitudinal bars are suitable cross bars 11. The latch bar 12 ishinged in a mortise 13 and is adapted to swing a limited distance inslots 14 in the other bars. It is provided with a spring 15 tending tomove it to latching position. The gate is provided with truss wires 16looped through the lower bar near the free end and connected to theupper bar near the hinge end, as shown. These wires pass over the loopedends of a stirrup 17 and by moving this stirrup toward the free end ofthe gate it will be seen that this end of the gate may be elevatedslightly at pleasure.

Provision is made for raising and lowering the gate so as to clear snowor other obstructions. For this purpose the hinge blocks 6 are separatedsome distance from each other so as to allow the whole gate to move upor down on the rod 7. Adjustment is made by means of a chain 18 thelinks of which are adapted to engage a hook 19 on one of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27, 1907.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 376,043.

hinge blocks. This chain connects at one end with the ends of a loopedwire or cord 20 the course of which is more clearly shown in Fig. 2. Aswill, be seen, this chain passes under a cross pin 18 in the slotted endof the gate bar. One member of this wire or cord 20 passes up under theupper bar of the gate through an eye 21 thence through a hole 22 nearthe upper end of the latch bar thence down along the edge of said barthrough an other hole 23 thence back and through a diagonal hole 24 inthe upper bar to a connec tion with a hook 25 on a sleeve 26. Thissleeve runs freely on a hooked rod 27 one end of which engages theopening and closing lever to be described presently. This rod passesthrough a slot in a bracket 27 The other end engages a short section ofwire or cord 28 (or a looped portion of the part of said wire or cordfirst described) and connects with the chain 18.

Provision is made for a compound pull on this latch cord or wire so asto both retract the latch bar and also slightly elevate the free end ofthe gate. This connection is best shown in Fig. 1 and will now bedescribed.

At the upper end of the hinge rod 7 is pivoted a shift lever. Thiscomprises one long arm 29, normally at an angle of about 45 degrees tothe gate. Crossing this is a shorter bar 30 which normally stands atabout right angles to the gate. These are preferably halved or otherwisesuitably jointed together and together form a single compound lever. Theends of the longer arm connect with suitable pull cords or wires 31 and32 respectively which pass through holes in the outstanding posts andare provided with suitable pulls 34. The ends of the shorter arm connectby chains 35 with the sleeve 26 above described. The rearward end of therod 27 hooks to a staple or eye 36 a little distance from the center ofthe long lever 29.

It will now be evident that by pulling on the higher of the two pullsshown in Fig. 1, the compound lever will be drawn toward the operator,with the effect of pulling the sleeve back on the rod and also pullingthe rod back slightly as regards the gate. The effect of this is to drawthe latch back to the limit of its movement, slightly elevating the freeend of the gate and then to draw the gate open. A similar pull on thelower of the two pulls shown (which of course becomes the higher one inthe changed position) reverses the operation and closes the r latchingthe gate.

gate. either side.

The outstanding latch post is preferably extended as high as theoutstanding post 33 and provided with a loop 37 through which the pullcords pass and which is adapted to prevent their sagging at the openingside of the gate. The post at the other side may stand nearer the hingepost so that no supporting loop is necessary. Instead of a rod the part27 might be a flexible device, such as a chain or wire, but for the factthat if this were the case animals might by putting their heads over it,depress the latch mechanism at this point and so open the gate. I

therefore prefer a stiff part, such as a rod as described.

Several of the posts are shown composed of two or more parts mainly foreconomy in construction, the upstanding portions being of comparativelylight material with a stout post for base. This slight elevation of thefree end of the gate in opening is of advantage in that it brings theaid of gravity in Otherwise a slight sticking of the latch bar or aninsufficient spring would tend to obstruct its movement andinterferewith its prompt action sometimes. As it is, the gravity of the gatetends to swing the gate positively to closing position and throw thelatch, as will be evident.

The action is of course the same from Having thus described my inventionI claim:

1. In a gate, the combination of the gate frame and its pivotedlatch-bar, substantially as described, of a vertical hinge-rod on whichthe gate is free to be elevated or depressed, a shift lever mounted atthe upper end of said hingerod, a looped wire or cord connecting withthe latch-bar, a rod connecting said shift lever with one end of saidwire or cord, a sleeve running on said rod connecting with the otherend, diverging chains connecting the sleeve with diverging arms of theshift lever, and a single connection of the rod with said lever near thecenter, substantially as for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a gate frame, its hinge-rod and latch-leversubstantially as described, of a looped wire or cord connecting with thelatch-bar, a shift lever to unlatch the gate and open it, a doubleconnection of said shift lever with said wire or cord and an adjustableconnection with said wire or cord whereby the gate may be elevated ordepressed to any desired position.

In testimony whereof I afIiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. SHROPE.

Witnesses:

J. M. ST. JOHN, FOSTER H. SPRY.

